Valleyheart Greenway Design & Education Program

The River Project developed the Greenway design and maintenance recommendations for the quarter-mile section of the Los Angeles River between Laurel Canyon Boulevard and CBS Studios in Studio City.

Through a series of educational workshops at Carpenter Avenue Elementary School and several neighborhood meetings, the local community participated in creating the design. Through the workshops, students learned about the river, native plants, and watershed issues. They helped select the native plant palette and created conceptual designs for the Greenway amenities like the Great Toad Gate, the butterfly garden, seating areas and the story fence. We then integrated these into the Greenway plan.

The goals for this project were to enhance public access to, and increase the riparian habitat of, the Los Angeles River Greenway; to stimulate a sense of community ownership; and educate the community about the river's natural riparian heritage and its relation to the coast. The project was funded by the California Coastal Conservancy. Community involvement exceeded expectations and the project has served as a powerful model for similar efforts in other areas along the Los Angeles River. The State Board of Education’s California Guide to Environmental Literacy cited this effort as one of the best environmental education projects in the state.